Whiskey entrepreneur plans agriculture project POULTNEY— The Green Mountain College campus, which closed last year because of declining enrollment and financial challenges, has sold at auction for $4.55 million, much lower than the $20 million appraised value. Raj Peter Bhakta, the founder of WhistlePig whiskey in Shoreham, had the winning bid on Tuesday, Aug. 18. Bhakta’s…

73 new facilities coupled with deregulation of in-home providers will add 10,000 openings By Erin Petenko and Lola Duffort/VTDigger Gov. Phil Scott plans to spend about $12 million in federal relief funds to dramatically expand child care capacity for school-aged children, including establishing regional child care hubs for students on remote learning days. The state estimates 10,300 students…

A recent incident involving bears in Wilmington should bring to the attention of those who rent out or manage property rentals in bear country that it is important to provide information about bears to renters so they can take the necessary measures to avoid encounters with bears, according to the Vermont Fish & Wildlife Dept. …

Women’s alpine World Cup to return to Killington Nov. 27-28, 2021 KILLINGTON–Killington Resort announced, Thursday, Aug. 20, that it will not be the host venue for the HomeLight Killington Cup race this year following a recent decision made jointly by the International Ski Federation, National Ski Associations and local organizing committees in Canada and the U.S.A to…

By Brooke Geery Wearing a mask is a lot more fun if it’s colorful and exciting, and Vermont’s artist community knows that! Several local artists have gotten in on the action, producing stylish creations that make wearing a mask just a little bit better. Ashley Carter of Sweet Potato Accessories in Mendon has been hard…

The Dept. of Forests, Parks, & Recreation (FPR) announced Aug. 14 that long-time State Parks Director Craig Whipple is retiring. “Under Craig’s leadership, our world-class state park system has expanded, modernized, and become more accessible,” said Michael Snyder, commissioner of Vermont Forests, Parks, and Recreation, the department that oversees Vermont state parks. “And even as…

By Stephen Seitz When she was younger, Kelly Stettner never thought she would be an environmental activist. “My husband and I were walking along the river, and we saw all this trash piled up along the banks,” she said in a 2014 interview. “I said, ‘Can’t somebody do something about this?’ and my husband said,…

By Polly Mikula Same Sun of Vermont is wrapping up a 500-kilowatt solar installation at Rutland schools this month. The project is part of energy performance plan created by Johnson Controls and financed by energy savings generated through the plan, rather than taxes. “It works well in areas where there is no appetite for higher…

Vera Rivard, 16, of Derby, Vermont and Springfield, New Hampshire, will attempt an English Channel swim this week. Rivard is an Upper Valley Aquatic Club (UVAC) swim team member, she was the Vermont Sport’s Magazine Athlete of the Year 2019, and she is an open water swimming phenom. She arrived in Dover, England Aug. 8…

  Hannaford Supermarkets announced Aug. 13 a $20,000 donation to support Vermont families as they seek to meet the most basic needs for themselves and their children during a period of economic hardship resulting from the coronavirus global health pandemic. The donation includes $10,000 each to Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity and BROC Community…

By Polly Mikula The Rutland Economic Development Corp. (REDC) and Rutland Region Chamber of Commerce held Zoom meetings Wednesday and Thursday, Aug. 12 and 13, to present the new organizations goals, merger plan, and new leaders to members of both organizations. “The new working name is Chamber and Economic Development of the Rutland Region,” said…

This November, incumbent governor Phil Scott will face off against Lt. Gov. David Zuckerman to keep his job. Scott easily won the Republican nomination, besting his closest opponent John Klar with over 70% of the vote, while Zukerman garnered 44% of the vote to nearest opponent Rebecca Holcombe's 35%. In the Lt. Gov. race, Molly…

By Brooke Geery With nearly all events cancelled due to Covid-19, no one would have been surprised if Rutland’s annual Art in the Park festival didn’t happen this year. But by limiting the number of vendors and attendees, the Chaffee Art Gallery was able to host the event for the 59th year on Aug. 8-9.…

By Polly Mikula Andrew Gieda, a Killington resident and business owner, was desperate to hear from his wife, Maria, on Monday to know that she and their 2-year-old son Robert were safe after violent protests erupted in Belarus, Sunday. Internet and phone access was cut off throughout Belarus during and after a contentious election. But…

By Katy Savage Gov. Phil Scott announced earlier this month that fall sports can resume starting Sept. 8, but many teams have been practicing all summer. When Scott lifted restrictions on recreational activities and group gatherings in June, school teams started holding voluntary practices and conditioning sessions, with notably high attendance. The Woodstock Union High…